Lost In Lima Ohio - A true crime blog

The Third Annual Kelsey Briggs Run/Walk Against Child Abuse will be held October 18th. The location is in Bricktown in Oklahoma City. You can still register online and the deadline has been extended. www. kelseybriggsrunagainstchildabu se.com If you have difficulty with the website when trying to register please email teri_sigman@sbcglobal.net You do not have to run to participate. We offer a one mile fun walk immediately following the 5k Run. Children can walk for free. You will receive a free T-shirt when you register. You can also purchase T-shirts while supplies last if you do not register. This years design is very unique. ALL proceeds will go to Prevent Child Abuse Oklahoma. Cherokee Ballard, Journalist and Spokesperson, will be this years Honorary Chairperson. She would love to meet each of you. Please support the children still living in fear. WE do not need another case like Kelsey's to get everyone's attention again. There are still children needing our help...

As mentioned before, a jury found the mother of Kelsey Briggs guilty of enabling child abuse. The jury recommended a 27 year sentence for Raye Dawn Porter / Smith. After a switch to a high profile lawyer, and a delay on the sentencing hearing, Raye Dawn has finally stood before the judge and been officially given her sentence: Raye Dawn Smith was sentenced on Monday to 27 years in prison for enabling child abuse, which resulted in the death of her 2-year-old daughter. Kelsey Briggs died from a blow to the stomach in October 2005, and a jury convicted her stepfather, Michael Porter, of enabling child abuse by injury. More...

Raye Dawn Smith's sentencing hearing has been postponed until Sept 11th at 10 am, at the request of her new lawyer, former Timothy McVeigh attorney Stephen Jones of Enid. Raye Dawn was convicted of enabling child abuse in the death of Kelsey Briggs. Also of importance, I've been informed that Lance Briggs will be on FoxNews (national news, not local) tomorrow at 4:30pm to give an interview on the case.

Stephen Jones is most likely best known for his defense of convicted Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh , but it seems that he's turned his interest to another heinous crime, this time the murder of a single blond haired little girl named Kelsey Briggs. News reports have come out that Raye Dawn Smith, who was convicted last month in the death of Kelsey (charge= enabling child abuse) will be lawyered up during her sentencing hearing later this month with none other than Jones himself. The jury that convicted Raye Dawn recommended 27 years in prison, after a short deliberation. Raye Dawn's ex-husband who plead guilty to child abuse charges in connection with Kelsey's death plead out and received a 30 year sentence months back. The Enid lawyer says he may request a new trial and will handle Smith's appeal, if necessary. He may seek a delay in her formal sentencing, set for August 18th. At trial, prosecutors alleged that Smith did nothing to stop Kelsey's stepfather, ...

Raye Dawn Smith ... Thanks to Myspace bulletin.

It's not been a terribly bad day, but it has been annoying enough for me to feel the need to flaunt a little of my bad mood around on other people. So... I opted to air my bad mood, and take up a subject that has been annoying me for sometime- that fictional Judge Keys book which is suppose to be about the case of Kelsey Briggs . zdrodowskil@plannedtvarts.com Having closely followed this story, and talked to many of the people involved in it, I just wanted to drop you a line to give you my thoughts. Anyone involved in stoking this lunatic's ego by publishing a self serving "tell what makes him look good passing the blame somewhere else" book is nothing more than a money hungry jackass. And, you might want to look into changing the lines about the "unknown abusers"... I'm pretty sure that after two convictions- we know who the abusers were, although I will concede that it was in character for the judge to continue denying who the abusers were. Lilo Yeah...

The jury verdict is in on Raye Dawn Smith. VIDEO "This trial is about her accountability," District Attorney Richard Smothermon said during a 45-minute closing argument in the felony child-abuse case against Smith. "This defendant abused her child. She either did it or let it happen." As he spoke, Smith wept at the defense table next to her attorney, Steve Huddleston. "Tears do not absolve you of your accountability," Smothermon said. "Kelsey Smith died -- died." Clearly, the juey must not have felt that the tears absolved her either, as they convicted her of enabling child abuse in the case against Smith. A guilty verdict, with a recommended 27 years in prison will not bring the precious little Kelsey Briggs back, and it will not reduce the pain that has been suffered by all who loved the two year old Oklahoma toddler- but it will give a little bit of justice. Smith, who could have received life in prison on the charge, lowered her head and crie...

"It's time that somebody stand up for her" might just be one of the more interesting quotes from the Raye Dawn trial yet. Only because when said in context of anything having to do with Kelsey Briggs- most people would assume that the "her" is Kelsey. Oddly enough, in this quote it isn't. Rather the defense counsel said it about Raye Dawn during closing arguments. A defense attorney for a woman charged with child abuse in the death of her 2-year-old daughter urged jurors Wednesday to find her not guilty, arguing that prosecutors had failed to prove their case. "It's time that somebody stand up for her," defense attorney Steve Huddleston said during closing arguments in the child-abuse trial of Raye Dawn Smith. "She has been through enough. It is time to stop it." The second most interesting statement, again on Raye Dawn Smith: ""Does that look like a woman who would allow someone to abuse her child," Huddleston said...

On an off note, I spent most of the day out and about with the little ones. I've stopped in a few times to keep an eye on the case- but there hasn't been a huge amount of news available- mostly the same rehashed highlights over the internet. But, one of the better pieces I've found on the Raye Dawn Smith trial can be found here . The Prosecution rested it's case, while the Smiths lawyers attempted to do the impossible- defend a guilty woman. The final prosecution witnesses Monday included a University of Oklahoma children's orthopedic surgeon who testified he was certain Kelsey's broken legs were from abuse. Dr. Andy Sullivan examined Kelsey on May 2, 2005, in Oklahoma City and found she had suffered spiral cracks to both shin bones. He testified he believes they were broken at different times. He looked at Kelsey after she was brought in by her paternal grandmother. The doctors said such an injury can happen when the bone is twisted as someone slings a child by...

Testimony highlights from the OK vs Raye Dawn Porter abuse/ murder case is available here. Annette Swinford said she was with Raye Dawn Smith during Smith's supervised visitation with Kelsey Smith-Briggs when she overheard the child say "out of the blue ... Daddy Mike hurt my head." Swinford said Smith laughed and told Kelsey that "Daddy Mike" couldn't have hurt her head because "he's not been around you." "Daddy Mike" is Michael Porter, who married Smith a month before the visit. Prosecutors have charged Smith with child abuse or enabling child abuse in connection with Kelsey's Oct. 11, 2005, death. Porter was charged with first-degree murder and child sexual abuse but pleaded guilty to enabling child abuse and received a 30-year prison term in an agreement with prosecutors.

There have been many cases where I've read something which has left me with a raised eyebrow. There's always that "one case" with that "one statement" that just never sits right. Today, while looking for updates on the Raye Dawn Porter/ Smith case, I found such a statement. And, even now... my eyebrow won't drop back into place. The two key pieces of the puzzling statement include red marks on Kelsey's rear, and a hairbrush. It was concluded that the red marks were indeed caused from the hairbrush- but not in the manner you might think : Jurors also heard from the former assistant police chief of Meeker, who investigated whether Kelsey's injuries in January 2005 were from abuse. The former assistant chief, Matt Byers, said he and a police sergeant concluded they were not from abuse. Smith told investigators she didn't know where some of the bruises came from and that she suggested some of the facial bruises came from the same fall from the c...

The criminal case against Raye Dawn Porter/Smith- or whatever she's going by now, continued today in a neighboring county in OK. The case had been previously moved away from Meeker, because of publicity. One of the witnesses that testified today was Mike Porter, Kelsey's step-father and the now ex-husband of Raye Dawn. KSBI-TV has high speed video , although I have to admit I've yet to watch it, so I can't say what the video actually details. Sorry, but I've been short on time. I'll be viewing it later, and will repost with info on it, or feel free to view and give your thoughts on it in the comments. Porter, Kelsey's step-father, is currently serving a 30-year sentence after pleading guilty of enabling child abuse. Porter testified of three incidents dating back to January 2005, where he says he saw Raye Dawn abuse Kelsey. He stated one of those times he witnessed her punching Kelsey in the stomach. He went on to say that he willingly lied to authorities...

Due to lack of time, I'm sharing links rather than thoughts. Cause, really- by now you ought to know my thoughts on this. Kelsey Briggs' mother is headed to trial, two items in the news might perk your interest. 1. Trial To Begin For Mother Of Slain Girl KOTV 6 Tulsa - 2 hours, 58 minutes ago BRISTOW, Okla. (AP) -- Trial is to begin Monday in Creek County District Court in Bristow for a woman charged in connection with the 2005 death of her 2-year-old daughter. Raye Dawn Smith is charged with child neglect and enabling child abuse in the death of Kelsey Smith- Briggs . 2. Prosecutors have new witness in Kelsey Smith- Briggs case NewsChannel 4 - Jul 03 10:57 AM As the mother of Kelsey Smith- Briggs prepares to go on trial, prosecutors reveal in court documents that they have another witness...

Post Moved to Top. Readers that have been around for a while, or who have spent any time reading through old posts know that above all others, there is one case that is very very dear to my heart. I'm very passionate about it, and very supportive of the family involved. If you look over at the right, you'll see a handful of links to sites dedicated to children. Not just any children, but special children that were taken before their time, and suffered greatly by those that committed crimes against them. One of those children happens to be Kelsey Briggs. I didn't know Kelsey. Never even knew she existed. And, had things gone the way they were suppose to, I probably still wouldn't know about the little blond girl from Oklahoma. But, things didn't go the way they should have... and so I was left reading her story and writing about it. Kelsey Smith Briggs was the daughter of Lance Briggs, and Raye Dawn Smith. They had had a rocky relationship, which ended in them going ...

I've noticed a good deal of traffic coming in looking for "Kelsey Smith", although not exactly the one that would be found here, Kelsey Smith Briggs. My Kelsey coverage was on a little girl beaten to death while her father served overseas. Her stepfather and mother both faced charges related to her death, Mike Porter received 30 years and her mother is due for trial soon. If you haven't heard her story, please take a small moment of your time to read it . The Kelsey Smith that they are looking for most likely is a missing 18 year old who police believe was abducted from a Target shopping center. I've not covered that story- but I certainly know someone who has. So- for those of you looking for that Kelsey, please see Mr. Huff at Crimeblog.us . There is also video of the suspect leaving Target, which can be found via Fox- here . You may also be interested in the site, www.findkelsey.com which appears to have been moved to a blog format.

Oklahoma HB 1699, will be heard on the house floor Monday morning. If HB1699 passes, it will change the law to do two things. 1. The court will be required to provide full and timely access to all the reports that the court considers before issuing an order of disposition in custody or visitation proceedings. The reports must be provided to the parents, guardians, and legal custodians of the child. 2. In cases of the death or near death of a child, the public disclosure of information about the case will be mandatory instead of optional. * There is a time limit of 30 days for the information to be released. * DHS, OCCY, the district attorney, the district court clerk and the judge having jurisdiction over the case are all required to release certain information and the bill stipulates what information each agency or person must disclose. * For the first time, the district attorney must disclose what actions were taken in response to reports received from ...

The beautiful little blond girl, with the heartwarming smile who was loved so much in life, that her death inspired a law intended to protect the children of Oklahoma will never have her killer found guilty for her callous murder. A little more than a year ago, I was browsing the news sites, when I stumbled upon the most heartbreaking of stories. Lance Briggs and his ex-wife, Raye Dawn Porter had had a rocky marriage to say the least, it ended with their divorce, but it also lead to the birth of a charming little girl on December 28th, 2002, who could capture hearts with just a simple smile. Kelsey Briggs spent the first years of her life surrounded by the love of her extended family, who would soon learn just how fragile Kelsey's life really was. Allegations of abuse began, and it wouldn't be long before Kelsey was removed from her mothers care, and put into the custody of Lance's parents. As for Lance, well- he found himself serving his country overseas, and little did h...

Your child survives nine months of horrible abuse- broken bones, bruises and more only to one day succumb to the beatings and die. Her beautiful smile, washed away by the agony that she suffered, her giggles quieted by the silence of death. Her story- The Kelsey Briggs story inspired both anger and hope in people all over the world. Anger that the people who should have been protecting her refused to, anger that the system put in place to save her failed... anger that her life was dismissed by so many that could have helped. Hope, because her death brought about changes, stronger laws to protect the children who would have otherwise found themselves walking in her shoes. Hope, because out of the pain a family who adored her and loved her showed us all that we can be better people- and make a difference against all odds- turning a tragedy into a opportunity to save other children. For those who have read Kelsey's Story, you know just how heartbreaking it is, and you know how inspir...

For those who would like to know, the first of this month brought a new law to the land of Oklahoma, one designed to save the lives of children and inspired by the loss of one very special child. Kelsey Briggs Law An Oklahoma judge placed a young child back into the arms of her mother, who was suspected of child abuse. About a month later, the child died. The death of 2-year-old Kelsey Smith-Briggs prompted lawmakers to investigate how child abuse cases are handled by judges and state agencies. The Kelsey Briggs law went into effect Nov. 1 and is designed to "provide more accountability with judges to place a child in a certain situation," and also frees up money for special investigations of possible child abuse and to hire 100 more caseworkers. "The ramifications of this bill are a lot broader than this particular case," said Rep. Kris Steele, R-Shawnee. There were about 52 child deaths in Oklahoma linked to child abuse or neglect last year, he said. The law allow...

I don't know where to begin, so forgive me for a moment if this seems out of place. If you ever have taken the time to look over at the far right, you will find a link that is entitled "About Me". Some of you may have already read it, and that's great. I should most likely update it a little, probably explain a little more about my vision, and what I feel is a personal mission- but I just don't really have the time. Sorry. Under that, you will find my new "Legal Notice". Mainly because it was suggested that I get one. And, I'm all about suggestions, especially after recent events- which I figure regular readers might be able to figure out. Anyway, this post isn't really about me. But it is about my "purpose" for this site. It's about Kelsey Briggs, Joan Green, Ashley Howley, a little girl in Vermont, and Katie, and countless others. You see, when I started this blog- my intent was not to write a crime blog. I had intended to just wr...